Burgh Island Hotel converts care home into staff accommodation

Burgh Island hotel has been looking for ways to increase staff acccommodation

A hotel has bought a care home and plans to convert it into staff accommodation.

Burgh Island Hotel in Devon is planning to spend £500,000 over six months to convert the former Korniloff residential care home.

When completed, it will provide 22 double bedrooms.

The landmark hotel on a tidal island has previously struggled to find staff due to the high cost of accommodation in the area.

Giles Fuchs, owner of the hotel in the South Hams, said he hoped the move would help "attract and retain the best hospitality talent".

He said: "South Hams is very expensive both in terms of rent and house prices, which makes it difficult for people to pursue a career in hospitality at the Burgh Island Hotel.

"Through providing quality accommodation, we hope to attract and retain the best hospitality talent to help give them a good quality of life and ensure that our guests enjoy the best experience while staying with us."

The hotel employs about 100 workers in the summer, but has only 16 staff rooms on the island.

In 2018 the hotel bought Warren Cottage in Bigbury-on-Sea to help accommodate staff who were based further away from the island.

Korniloff, in Bigbury-on-Sea, was originally built as a hotel before it became a care home.

The development replaces earlier plans to build staff accommodation beside a cafe, according to planning documents.